Language Selection Symbols
Posted on:October 28 2009
When you are on a website, in front of an ATM or starting a game, sometimes you have to select your language. Usually, the buttons you have to click in order to pick your language are the flags of the 'main' country of your language:
For English, this is usually the flag of the USA, for German, the German flag and for Spanish, the Spain flag. The problem is that this is a bit problematic, it may feel a bit strange for somebody living in Mexico having to select the flag of Spain, for an Englishman to select the USA and for an Austrian to select the German flag.
I wonder why there are no symbols or icons for languages at all. Would be really useful.
Maybe this is because most people don't think about languages that much. Good example: Did you ever try to change the language of Google because it preselected a wrong language for you? Good luck:
The language names are written in the language which is currently active. If google selected 'chinese' for me here, I would have had no chance to switch it to English or German at all.
For English, this is usually the flag of the USA, for German, the German flag and for Spanish, the Spain flag. The problem is that this is a bit problematic, it may feel a bit strange for somebody living in Mexico having to select the flag of Spain, for an Englishman to select the USA and for an Austrian to select the German flag.
I wonder why there are no symbols or icons for languages at all. Would be really useful.
Maybe this is because most people don't think about languages that much. Good example: Did you ever try to change the language of Google because it preselected a wrong language for you? Good luck:
The language names are written in the language which is currently active. If google selected 'chinese' for me here, I would have had no chance to switch it to English or German at all.
Comments:
Momor
Quote2009-10-28 14:28:00
Seems like the flag method would help in the second situation, but it would be ideal to have all the flags for all territories. That way there is no need to read the words. You do have to know you territory's flag though ;-).
Aaron
resolveaswontfix.com
Aaron
resolveaswontfix.com
Aaron Melcher
Quote2009-10-28 14:32:00
Wouldn’t it be easier to enter the country-code? Type "AT" oder "DE" to select the country. I'd prefer this method.
KIENI
Quote2009-10-28 14:55:00
Seems like this blog doesn't like me.
Wouldn’t it be easier to enter just the country-code?
In a drop-down list I'd prefer to just type "AT" or "DE" to select the country.
Wouldn’t it be easier to enter just the country-code?
In a drop-down list I'd prefer to just type "AT" or "DE" to select the country.
KIENI
Quote2009-10-28 14:57:00
Flags and country codes don't work because there's another problem - countries with sub-communities with different languages like Canada and Belgium.
steve
Quote2009-10-28 15:14:00
That's why google lets you switch the language on the frontpage when you type in a local url like google.es ;)
Although one might wonder why they don't display the according language by default. Who wants a german page when he types google.es?
Although one might wonder why they don't display the according language by default. Who wants a german page when he types google.es?
Telepath
Quote2009-10-28 16:45:00
The flag method is OK for me ... I normally "know" the "main country" of the language I want to have. But: on my band's homepage Americans have to think a little ... I want the English flag for a language called "English" ;)
Brainsaw
Quote2009-10-29 07:14:00
" I want the English flag for a language called “English”"
Do you use the flag of england or the flag of the uk? ;)
Do you use the flag of england or the flag of the uk? ;)
Matthias
Quote2009-10-29 11:13:00
GOSH; might wanna fix your blog or something. :/
Matthias
Quote2009-10-29 11:14:00
I think it would be simpler and more functional to just put the language's name in its own language.
yomero
Quote2009-10-29 20:12:00
of course you could use the ISO language codes (which everybody knows by heart of course), or better yet, the IANA ones, because then you wouldn't have a problem with Klingon as well.
OTOH: why would you want to select a different language in google? I suppose you could just enter your search terms and press enter regardless of whether it says "google" or "el goog" on top of the page...
OTOH: why would you want to select a different language in google? I suppose you could just enter your search terms and press enter regardless of whether it says "google" or "el goog" on top of the page...
xaos
Quote2009-10-30 10:50:00
The major problem with google is that according to the set language it gives you VERY different search results (And most likely simplified chinese brings up less results than traditional chinese)
sebastian
Quote2009-11-07 07:57:00
They've put wrong flag for Netherlands. It is Yugoslavian flag. xD
Yugoslavia: http://bit.ly/2ifqSv
Netherlands: http://bit.ly/1G6sPF
Yugoslavia: http://bit.ly/2ifqSv
Netherlands: http://bit.ly/1G6sPF
AlexMil
Quote2009-11-08 20:19:00
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anyway Chinese is ok to me